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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: coach · hand · wake · kid · chest · track · object · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. chest — of your body
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. wake — a trail
  5. object — a thing
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — a box
  9. kid — child
  10. hand — help
  11. object — an aim
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. kid — to tease
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. track — to keep track
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. track — a path
  20. object — to protest
  21. track — a song
  22. key — for a lock
  23. hand — in cards
  24. key — the most important part

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com